WARWICK — A dozen fifth and sixth grade students sat on the soccer field wearing graduation caps and masks for this year’s Warwick Community School graduation Monday, one of the last events the school population may hold together following the recently approved closure of the local elementary school.
The ceremony, held Monday, celebrated nine fifth grade students and three sixth grade students. Principal Christine Mullen said it was important to have a dual ceremony because many of the fifth graders have been a part of the class since kindergarten, but will not be continuing to Northfield Elementary School next year.
“We wanted them to have the full hoopla of a Warwick-style ceremony before they departed from us,” Mullen said when she announced the event at last week’s School Committee meeting.
The main ceremony was held on the school soccer field, where school custodian Todd Whitman painted boxes on the ground 6 feet apart, with seats for students’ immediate family members.
According to Mullen, a tradition of the Warwick Community School graduation has students choose a speaker to introduce them. Because of health concerns this year, and to avoid guests coming from across the county, speakers filmed a two-minute video for each student to share at the ceremony. The videos saw teachers and other guests speak to the students’ accolades and accomplishments as young musicians, athletes, mathematicians, class clowns and more.
This year the Charles Hand Award was given to two students in recognition of their success and passion in mathematics. Fifth grader Audrey Elwood was awarded alongside sixth grader Sadie Waggenbeek, who completed the sixth grade math program in fifth grade and this year studied a course combining aspects of math and art.
Most years the graduation also serves as a spring concert, but the music event could not be held due to health concerns. To celebrate as a full school, students from first through fourth grade were invited to participate in a “car-beeping parade” organized by paraprofessional Karen Ellis.
“We’re doing our best to do things differently,” Ellis said of the celebrations.
Students and their families looped around the elementary school parking lot and town common, cheering and holding signs of congratulations for the students. Mullen said all students received T-shirts reading “WCS 2020” and featuring the names of every student and staff member. Ellis said the school also put together memory books.
“We’re doing everything we can to celebrate them, staff and students,” Ellis said.
With the Pioneer Valley Regional School District School Committee’s vote to close Warwick Community School, students and faculty are expected to merge with the Northfield Elementary School starting this fall. However, Mullen said some students have chosen not to continue to Northfield alongside their classmates. She said this is mainly because they are School Choice students from Orange, and the commute from Orange to Northfield is an obstacle.
With the COVID-19 health crisis keeping them out of the building since March, some students and faculty have had trouble finding a sense of closure regarding not returning to Warwick Community School. To help provide closure, on June 18, the last day of school, Mullen said there will be a community sing. Students and their families will be invited to sing from their vehicle windows in the bus circle and parking lot. The Parent-Teacher Organization will distribute gifts and the staff will wave farewell one last time.
“Staff will lead the children in singing eight songs,” Mullen said, “many of which have been written about their town, by them.”
Members of the departing fifth grade class are Christopher Suprise, Gavin Young, Wyatt Whitman, Logan White, Cordelia Rhodes, Maxwell Kimball, Layla Goulston, Louise Flagollet, Emmanuelle Flagollet and Audrey Elwood. Graduates of the sixth grade class are Gerlyn Celiz, Sadie Waggenbeek and Tyler Hatch.